In a crisis, you need fast communication. Crisis digital signage is the perfect solution to getting messages out to those involved quickly and efficiently. A crisis can encapsulate many situations, from onsite fires to natural disasters and shootings to cyber attacks. With crisis digital signage, create and plan disaster communication for immediate deployment, when necessary.
From alerting employees via on-screen content to displaying the live news, here are 5 top uses of crisis digital signage to help enforce action and save lives.
1. On-screen Alerts And Guidance
Communicating messages quickly in a crisis is critical and could be the tipping point between disaster and saving lives. According to the Business Continuity Institute, over half of organisations (54.2%) cite communicating with staff as a key challenge during an emergency. With a digital signage network around your site, use electronic screens to get crisis messages to staff and customers quickly, efficiently, and safely.
Avoiding unsafe face-to-face communication and unclear audio messages across tannoy systems, digital signage provides a communication method that makes the crisis clear. Every screen can immediately switch to crisis content to alert everyone onsite. Additionally, with the high-brightness, eye-catching screens, no one will miss a crisis message, ensuring people take action swiftly.
This content can be prepared in advance for various possible crises so it is ready to be displayed immediately, when necessary. With digital signage, there is the capability to deliver messages via text, image, video, and animation. This on-screen content could include telling people to evacuate due to an onsite fire, alerting people to get under the tables during an earthquake, informing people to shut down technological systems due to a data breach, or even notifying employees to get tested in a pandemic. Remember to keep messages short and easy to understand.
Crisis digital signage is the ideal platform to communicate rapidly without putting people in further danger. Moreover, if an alert or guidance changes, immediately update on-screen content via digital signage software, controlled onsite or remotely. This rapid action ensures those involved receive the most accurate messages.
2. Activation Triggers For Crisis Digital Signage
Avoiding delays to getting content out around your site is vital in a crisis. Make use of digital signage activation triggers to display content on-screen without hesitation.
Set up your digital signage network to display crisis content when the fire alarm is activated or when someone presses a particular button in a natural or technological disaster. Alternatively, integrate smoke sensors into your digital signage technology to immediately display fire and evacuation content when triggered.
According to the PwC Global Crisis Survey 2021, more than 30% of respondents did not have a designated core crisis response team in place. The ability to set up these triggers makes digital signage an unparalleled method of communication and response in a crisis. With the possibility for human error and hesitation removed, people can take action on crisis messages promptly.
3. Keep Calm Content On Crisis Digital Signage
Scared, nervous, and uncertain people panic. Keeping people calm and reassuring their safety is of paramount importance in a crisis. Crisis digital signage has more uses than just alerting people of the actual issue. Use digital signage to display content that will calm nerves and keep people positive.
Create this content to reflect the ethos of your site and the possible crises that may arise. For example, you could create and present messages of encouragement that the situation is being handled appropriately or display inspirational messages promoting that everyone involved can make it through this. Deliver these messages via text, image, animation, or video to keep people entertained and calm.
By displaying reassuring content alongside alerts in a crisis, you prove that you care about your stakeholders. Moreover, if people are calm, a disastrous situation can be solved more efficiently. Boost this calmness using your digital signage network.
4. Digital Wayfinding Directions To Exits
When a crisis occurs, whether a fire, machinery malfunction, or other, people need to evacuate the building quickly and safely. Every site has its own exit strategy. Despite this, not all staff memorise this, and if there are customers onsite, they will need guidance.
Digital wayfinding is the perfect solution to getting people out quickly. Immediately display directions across screens throughout your site accurately directing people to the correct exit. Exit directions can take different forms from arrows and text to images and animation. Content could include large, colour-vibrant exit signs and short messages, such as “TURN RIGHT FOR EXIT”, to ensure everyone understands.
To ensure a swift and safe exit, plan each individual screen’s directions in advance to display right away when triggered. Moreover, if a crisis occurs in a specific location, pre-plan alternative routes to avoid the disaster.
5. Live News On Crisis Digital Signage
In an external crisis, buildings are often locked down to keep people safe. For these periods of time, people can feel unsettled and in the dark about what is going on. This scenario could relate to a crisis such as an earthquake, landslide, or terrorist attack.
To help keep people in the loop with what is going on, use digital signage to stream the live news throughout your site. This news could be via live TV, an RSS Feed, or even social media, including Facebook and Twitter. Significantly, live streaming the news is as simple as entering the URL of the stream you wish to showcase – ideal for time-pressured situations.
This news content will give people the most up to date information on the situation. It will also provide a reason for why they cannot leave or carry on as usual. Displaying this content is an efficient way to get important messages across to people and reduces the need for constant manual or human updates.
If you have any questions related to crisis digital signage, speak to an expert today. Call our friendly team on 02380 981110 or Email info@troudigital.com for a no-obligation consultation. Alternatively, click the button below.
